


Accomplice

by 700bees



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Eventual Romance, Fluff, Other, Post-Canon, Robot/Human Relationships, Slow Burn, this is my first work on this site so please be gentle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-28 07:09:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15043463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/700bees/pseuds/700bees
Summary: The last thing you thought you'd be doing over the summer was attempting to hide your android coworker from the cops, but here you were.When your best friend snaps while on the job, it's up to you to keep him safe. However, that may prove difficult with Detroit's resident android detective on the case. Lucky for you, he's got a soft spot that might just help you out in the long run.





	1. Prologue

While it may have seemed like a good idea at first, you have (by this point) come to realize that taking a job offer from your aunt was a step in the wrong direction. To be fair, working minimum wage at a home goods store sounded like a really good start to an indie romance and you just couldn't resist the thought that maybe some beautiful stranger would sweep you off your feet as you rang them out. That notion held no bearing in reality. Hours dragged on, customers were needy, and so on and so forth. The only upside you saw were the coworkers.

 

When the store began to hire for the summer, more and more android workers started showing up at work. First it was a CT model taking over as assistant manager. Next it was the front end supervisor. Before you knew it, behind most every cash register was an android. And boy did you love it. With only you and your aunt (who happens to be general manager) being human, the store ran quite smoothly. There were hardly any customer complaints made to you since all of those who opposed androids would just be happy to see you behind the counter. Ever since the revolution, you had hoped more people would accept androids as living beings. Seeing as that was going to take a while, you were just glad some androids were getting jobs.

 

Of all those working at the store, there was one android you much preferred to all the rest: Martin. Kind of a bland name but he had picked it for himself so you never mentioned it. He was a GX model originally meant for working in nursing homes. After the whole "androids are people too" thing went down he decided to switch from caring for old people to selling overpriced antique mirrors to old people. You teased him a lot about that. Being such a nice guy, though, he tended to just laugh it off. Many of your summer days were spent making casual small talk with Martin while stopping every once in a while to ring people out and get carpets off of high shelves. He would always comment on how you were much too bright to be working at a home goods store and you would always remind him of the fact that he held all of the knowledge of the known universe in his left eye socket but he's here too. And somehow you would both always end up laughing. Yes, Martin was your best friend. That is, until he snapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> agh my first fic on ao3 im happy! gonna be a lot of setup so sorry but buckle in.


	2. Incident

As cliched as it may be, it started out like any other day. Stale, tiring, and cold. It was always cold in this godforsaken place.

 

You reached into the pocket of your uniform pants and pulled out your phone to check the time. The store had only been open for about an hour and already you were feeling exhausted. Today would be easy, though. Since no one came in on days like this, it was just you, your aunt, and Martin working the first shift. You debated breaking store policy and playing on your phone for a bit, but as soon as the thought really seemed to tempt you, your aunt showed up.

 

"How's it going up here, everything running smoothly?" She approached the fake marble counters with a smile, "The registers aren't acting up again are they?"

 

You gave her a forced smile and shook your head. "No, auntie, they're working just fine. Can't say the same about the air conditioner, though. Is it cold in here or is it just me?" You pulled the sleeves of your uniform shirt down over your hands to try to retain some warmth.

 

"Well better cold than hot, right? Maybe then someone will buy a $40 blanket!" She threw her head back in laughter, designer earrings flailing wildly. She pointed a finger in the direction of your backup cashier. "Besides, Martin looks comfortable."

 

"He's an android."

 

"Well, still."

 

With that, your aunt turned on her heel and headed to the back of the store, more than likely going to sit in the office and watch soap operas. You were damn grateful for this job but man, was it hard not to tell her how bad of a general manager she was. Once out of sight, Martin turned to you.

 

"At least is has been slow today."

 

"Yeah, true." You gave him a tiny smile. Just as you were about to ask him if he really did feel cold, the only customer in the store approached Martin's register.

 

She was a feeble woman. No doubt made the best pasta salad ever brought to a PTA meeting. Her haircut screamed, "I don't care if this coupon is dated 2025, I want it honored NOW". As she flung her items onto the counter, Martin began the same routine all cashiers followed.

 

"Hello, ma'am. Did you find everything alright today?"

 

She didn't reply, opting instead to scroll on her phone. Martin continued.

 

"And are you a part of our Frequent Buyers Program?" With this, the woman jolted her head upward so as to look Martin eye-to-eye. A very bad feeling rose in your gut.

 

"Listen, metal-head, if you don't shut your trap and do your job, I'll have your manager send you straight to the junkyard." And just as the words had left her mouth, she yanked her head back down to her phone. Probably looking for a coupon. You silently wondered if she knew what the term "metal-head" meant in popular culture terms. You'd imagine not.

 

Martin looked toward you with his eyes as if to say, "HELP ME". He began to ring out her things just to get her out of here. Once he had everything rung and bagged, he made the next step in the checkout process.

 

"Your total is $52.85."

 

The woman's finger halted instantaneously. Slowly, she lifted her head to look at Martin, a primal look in her eye. If there was somewhere to run, you would've dashed a long time ago. This didn't look good.

 

"What do you mean $52.85? That can't be right!"

 

"I assure you, ma'am, that is the correct total."

 

The woman began to grow visibly angry. "Then you messed it up! Check it again!" Her hand whipped past Martin's face to grab hold of the monitor on the register. She tried, in vain, to flip it toward her so she could analyze it. At this point, you had to intervene.

 

"Miss, please stop! The monitors don't move like that!" You got between her and Martin in an attempt to dissuade her from damaging the store's equipment. Luckily, the woman stopped her assault on the register. Unluckily, her assault on you began.

 

"Why don't you tell your android buddy to stop overcharging me??" Her mouth snarled a bit as she said this, causing you to put up your hands in an instinctual show of self-defense.

 

"He's not overcharging you, I promise! Just please calm down!"

 

Martin had had enough. You figured all those years of dealing with people who were hateful toward androids had made him intolerant of their abuse, and rightfully so. He put an arm in front of you, pushing you back with your arms still folded up in fear.

 

"Ma'am, if you refuse to act rationally, I will be forced to escort you out of the store." Bad move.

 

The woman almost seemed to froth at the mouth. Was she on red ice or something?? Her eye seemed to twitch just a bit and, before you knew it, she had lunged her torso over the counter and grabbed Martin by the collar of his uniform shirt. She yanked him left and right viciously, spewing some nonsense about how all androids are evil and they all should have been destroyed. Feeling helpless, you intervened for the final time. You smacked the woman's hands off of Martin in one fell swoop. Her eyes darted from Martin's to yours, peering into them with fathomless rage. You knew you had messed up. Just as she moved to attack you, Martin's body blocked your field of vision. He had intercepted her.

 

What happened next even you couldn't bear to watch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my rabbit keeps jumping on my laptop and trying to get me to pet her instead of typing. little does she know i can pet with one hand and type with the other!!!!!!!!


	3. Crime Scene

You always knew androids were capable of murder, you just didn't really think you'd ever actually see one murder someone. In fact, you had _hoped_  you wouldn't see _anyone_ murder someone, regardless of species. It all happened so fast. The woman jumped on Martin and the next thing you knew, an unsettlingly loud ***crack*** resounded through the front end. In all the commotion you had shut your eyes. When you opened them again, the woman lay lifeless on the speckled linoleum of the home goods store. Not a pretty sight.

 

Martin had been frantic. He had never even considered murder before, he said, hadn't even known himself to be capable of it. He just couldn't sit by and watch you get hurt. Couldn't let that woman win. Couldn't get her off. You could tell he didn't mean it. He was your friend and you had to help him. You saw how the woman was acting, there was something seriously wrong with her. So you did what you could.

 

Your mind went immediately to aisle 5, the only aisle without a security camera. You knew that if they were to check the tapes, they would only see that he went to aisle 5, not where he was in aisle 5. However, that would tip them off that he had never left. So the hiding spot had to be good. Your eyes searched for a minute. You had to think fast, who knows if auntie had even been watching the tapes? There had been no other customers, but anyone could walk in and see the body. Thankfully, an idea flashed into your head.

 

Androids had this nifty little feature of not being able to feel pain. Good for Martin, because the quickest thing your mind could muster was removing his arms and legs, placing him into an antique wardrobe, and moving some of the inner paneling to conceal him. Thank god for the instability of mass produced fake antique wardrobes!

 

Before you had placed the board, you assured Martin you would protect him. He thanked you. In such a panicked moment, the exchange helped to calm you.

 

Once Martin was secure, you went to the back to see if your aunt was keen to the whole thing. She had embraced you just as you went through the door, thanked the lord you were alright, and called the police. Apparently her soaps had been on commercial break and she checked the cameras just in time to see Martin pulling you into aisle 5 with the soccer mom's body sprawled out behind the registers.

 

With that, you waited. Your aunt refused to let you go back into the store in fear that Martin was still in there. She had locked all the doors manually so no customers would come in. Great, you thought, now they'll know he's in here. As you worried more and more about the implications of being an accomplice to murder, your aunt paced the tiny office. Somehow she was more nervous than you were. Maybe she was afraid she'd get fired by corporate? Honestly, you would all get fired. Another thing to worry about.

 

After about 10 minutes, the police arrived. Your aunt let them in the front and they walked the store to look for Martin. Once they felt they had cleared the area, they came to the back office and assured you of your safety. They asked what you had seen and your aunt spilled all. You, however, were much less willing.

 

"Did you see where he went?" The cop questioned as his eyes looked around the back room.

 

"No, I was so panicked I didn't know what to do." You thought about faking nervousness, but you were already shaking so much you figured you didn't really need it. "H-He told me to follow him to the aisle, I didn't want to get hurt, too, so I did what he said. As soon as he turned away from me, I ran to the back room and I-I just......" Tears pooled at the corners of your eyes. Those acting courses in high school were finally paying off. The cop pat you lightly on the back, telling you it was ok. After you had steadied yourself, he neglected to ask anymore questions.

 

The woman's body was lined with the works: police tape, little markers to show pieces of evidence, etc. Thankfully the only place they were looking was the register, not aisle 5. However, you knew once they looked at the cameras, they'd be all over it. As soon as they had secured the evidence, they escorted you and your aunt out of the office and toward the front doors of the store. There, they kept a watchful eye over you as police continued to search.

 

It wasn't until about an hour and a half later that you heard some of the cops mention detectives. Oh no, you thought. Oh no no no. If anyone was going to figure out where Martin was, it'd be a detective. Those guys were trained in this sort of thing. And if there was an android detective? You were dead. Ok, not dead, but incarcerated. This was bad. Just as you were hoping that you would have time to really get your stories straight, the aforementioned detectives reared their heads.

 

The first (and obviously more experienced) of the pair was a man in his mid to late 50s. He was disheveled to say the least. His grey hair definitely did not go with the bright striped shirt he wore under his jacket. Good thing he had a jacket, though. It was really cold in here now.

 

The second man was much, much different. He was a lot younger than the first, looking to be in his late 20s, early 30s. He was impeccably dressed, looking much more fit for the job than his partner. He walked with a sort of kick in his step that intrigued you. He was definitely handsome, much better looking than anyone you had met this summer.

 

Oh yeah, and he was an android. Of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry there is so much stuff without connor i just really want to set up the story well. next chapter has him in it tho!


	4. Interrogation

"So what the hell happened here." The older man spoke with no regard to anyone in particular and you sensed he was probably just a little bit intoxicated at the moment. "I thought androids were DONE killing people."

 

He sauntered over to the body, right past you, and his partner followed suit. As he knelt down to examine the woman, er, the victim, the younger one scanned over the evidence. God, it would really be nice to know their names. You felt like you were watching some hokey crime show with the way they contrasted each other.

 

You watched as the android knelt down as well, only to stick his fingers in a small splash of blue blood the woman had managed to get out of Martin before her, well, death. Fascinatingly enough, he touched the blood to the tip of his tongue. As he tasted the blood, a smile crept onto your face. This guy was something else. Dresses like a lesser known porn star AND eats blood? Unbelievable.

 

"GX500. He was previously a caretaker." The android stood, relaying the information to his partner. "The evidence suggests that the woman attacked first. She would've had to have been pulled over the counter to get to the position she's in now, and there are no signs of trauma in any area other than her neck."

 

Fuck this guy really is good. He must be one of those models that never left their initial job. Honestly, if you had been built with such a cool occupation in mind, you wouldn't want to leave either. Especially if the pay was good.

 

The android then turned his attention to you.

 

"You are both employees here, correct?" He strode over to you and your aunt effortlessly, managing to avoid every piece of evidence marked on the ground. "Which one of you witnessed the murder directly?"

 

You raised your hand slightly. "I did." The android then motioned for you to follow him. You obliged. He didn't take you far, only to the other end of the front end counter. Once there, he turned to you.

 

"What exactly happened to provoke the GX500 to--"

 

"Martin."

 

"I beg your pardon?"

 

Instead of saying, "then beg", as your primal, unfiltered mind immediately thought, you paused a moment. "His name is Martin. Just thought you should know. Might help with the investigation, y'know?"

 

The android seemed to ponder this. After a moment of gazing at you to check for signs of stress, he continued.

 

"Yes, I suppose that could help. So then, what happened to provoke Martin?"

 

You gave him your story. Lady snapped, Martin snapped, neck snapped, etc.

 

"---after that I ran to the back room. The cops showed up and then you showed up and now we're....here."

 

Once the last sentence you said had been recorded in the android's memory, he moved as if to ask another question. However, you really didn't want to answer any of his questions.

 

"What was the--"

 

"Wait a minute, hold on." You tilted your head downward and gave the android a wide-eyed look. "You never told me your name."

 

"Oh." He adjusted his stance to face you directly and gave you a nice little introduction. "My name is Connor. I am a detective from the Detroit City Police Department. Nice to meet you." He held his hand out in a gesture that seemed a bit too friendly for the situation. Still, you shook it with gusto.

 

"Nice to meet you, too." You waited for him to ask your name. After a moment it hit you that he must already know it being a detective AND an android.

 

"Now back to the murder. What was--"

 

"Connor! Come over here!" A loud and slightly annoyed voice called over to your side of the counter. From what you knew, this must have been Connor's partner, whose name you still didn't know. Connor sidestepped around you, putting his hand on your arm in order to maneuver himself without bumping you. Strangely enough, his hand was warm. It was nice what with the store being such a tundra.

 

You followed him, seeing his partner holding a small display screen. You were smart enough to know that it was footage of the security cameras.

 

"What did you find, Hank?" Connor stepped beside his partner (Hank, which you now knew) to look at the footage as well. You couldn't see the display from where you were standing, but you already knew what was on it.

 

"It never left the store. Figures an android would be smart enough to find a hiding spot in a store full of plastic garden gnomes." Hank handed the display to Connor as he walked straight past you. And straight into aisle 5. Panic washed over you in no time, and just as Connor was about to pass you, he slowed to look you in the eye. It was like he could tell that you were worried now, like he sensed it. Now that you think about it, it makes sense that he would. He's a fucking android.

 

After a tense couple seconds of Connor giving you the "I know you're hiding something" side-eye, he caught up with Hank. You followed too, acting curious instead of absolutely mortified.

 

"Is he really still in here?" You feigned innocence. The two men glanced over to you, then at each other, then back to you.

 

"It's fine, sweetheart, nothin' to worry about." Hank put up a hand to both calm you and tell you to stay back. "We've got it under control."

 

You completely ignored both of the man's cautions, becoming less calm and moving further into the aisle. He rolled his eyes at this but you had to stop them from finding Martin. Hank was just about to say something when Connor motioned for him to stay silent. You moved a bit closer to the two, and closer to the wardrobe. You had absolutely no idea what to do. As Hank crossed his arms and watched you like a hawk, Connor began to search.

 

He scanned shelf after shelf, making sure to physically check them for signs of disturbance even after scanning them. As he went down the aisle, you could feel your pulse quicken as he stepped nearer to the wardrobe. What would you do if they found Martin? What would they do to him? What would they do to you.....? While the android searched for your friend, you had to think fast. It was obvious the detective was reading your stress levels to play the hot-or-cold game with Martin's hiding spot. He was moving too directly and too quickly toward the wardrobe. The older man still trained his eye on you, just watching as your mind reeled. Just as Connor scanned the last shelf before the gap in the aisle where the wardrobe stood, your voice acted before your mind could rationalize it.

 

You screamed.

 

It was a horrible, intense, and ear-shattering scream. You pointed your finger behind where Hank stood, making sure to visibly move backwards in fear. The man's eyes widened as he whipped his head around to look behind him. Connor, however, made no such move. When Hank saw no one he turned back to you.

 

"H-He was there, behind you! He ran behind you! That way!!" You pointed quickly to your left and in a moment, Hank dashed off in that direction. You had almost believed it had worked until you turned your head to Connor. He hadn't budged. In a last ditch effort, you dashed over to him and grabbed his hands to try and sympathize with him. Maybe an android could understand the actions of another android?

 

"Please, please, please," You talked in a low voice so no one could hear but you and Connor. "I'm begging you not to find him. Not now. He's scared, he's alone." As you pleaded with him you held his hands close to you, looking directly into his dark brown eyes. "I'll tell you everything, _everything_ , if you leave now and come back later." You reasoned that if he was going to catch Martin, it'd be better if he had the whole story.

 

The android seemed taken aback by your actions. He looked slightly shocked, in fact. Perhaps no one had ever tried to appeal to his humanity before. Or perhaps no one had assumed he _had_ humanity before. Either way, his expression softened after your proposal.

 

"Fine, but you have to tell me absolutely everything, got it?"

 

"Yes, yes, everything. I promise."

 

"Then we have a deal."

 

Hank came barreling around the corner of the aisle and you threw Connor's hands away from your own, stepping back away from him. Luckily, the man was breathing so hard he didn't have time to analyze your position before putting his hands on his knees and catching his breath. When he did stabilize, he wheezed out a barely audible question.

 

"Where exactly did you see the android run?"

 

You looked to Connor for a moment. He simply looked back, waiting for your answer. You were smart enough to get yourself off the hook for now, you must be smart enough to make up another excuse.

 

"Well, uh, I might have just been acting paranoid. Maybe it was just my imagination......"

 

"She's had a long day, Hank." Connor was......helping you? "Perhaps the stress is making her delusional." Ah, no, Connor was invalidating you as a witness.

 

Hank seemed to accept this. "Yeah, maybe." He walked up to Connor and put his arm around his shoulders. "Maybe we're all gettin' delusional. I think we have enough evidence to take this back to the office. Let's go get some lunch." Leading Connor out of the aisle, Hank motioned to the cops that they were all wrapped up for the day. Finally, Martin was safe. For now, at least.

 

As the two detectives left the store, you could've sworn you saw the eyes of a certain android looking back at you just as he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so the boy arrives 8^)


	5. Rendezvous

 

The night of the murder you couldn't stop thinking about Martin. You hoped he was wise enough to stay hidden. And that he didn't get too scared locked up in that wardrobe. With his arms and legs de-attached there was no way for him to leave, though, and you guessed he had gone into some kind of sleep-mode or whatever. That would explain why Connor couldn't detect sings of movement when scanning the aisle.

 

It was difficult to sleep but you managed to get a few hours in. Unfortunately, you had the opening shift again the next day. So, just as you had done dozens of times before, you raised yourself from the dead and began your morning routine. As you pulled on the uniform you felt you had just thrown off, a thought hit you. When exactly was that android detective gonna come back? You can't remember telling him anywhere or anytime to meet and he sure didn't say anything to you. Maybe he would call the store? The police can do that, right? Wait. Anyone can call the store. It's a store... You were too tired to be thinking about all this at once.

 

Once you had readied yourself, you hopped into your car and started off for work. The store opened at 9:30 am, but you usually got there a few minutes early just to sit and relax in your car before all hell breaks loose. Nothing starts the day right like contemplating driving out of town forever, never to return.

 

The parking lot was usually empty before the store opened. Every once in a while there would be customers waiting in their cars for the store to open, but you never really saw anyone standing outside the store before. That is, until now.

 

Leaning past your steering wheel and placing a hand on the driver's side window, you squinted to get a better look at whoever it was that was standing there. At first you wondered if they were going to yell at you for not opening the doors 10 minutes before the store opened. Then you realized exactly who you were squinting at. It was Connor. Your stomach dropped. You _really_ hadn't planned on him being here this early. How did he even know you would be here? Did he sneak a peek at the schedule in the back room? Maybe your aunt told him? Who knows. Whatever the case, he was just standing there. Menacingly.

 

You let out a stressed sigh and turned to gather yourself. After fixing your hair in the rear view mirror, you hauled yourself out of the car. After slamming the door, locking it twice, and checking your appearance one last time in the car's window, you turned and approached the detective.

 

He visibly straightened himself upon seeing you. His face even seemed a bit....brighter? Who can say. Anyways, as you stepped one foot after another, you could tell today was going to be extremely long. Before you even had time to think of how to delay your reveal of Martin's hideaway, Connor greeted you warmly.

 

"Good morning! How are you today?" He smiled in your direction. You returned the expression.

 

"I'm fine." Instead of walking directly to him as your path suggested, you threw a curve and went to the alarm system on the front door instead. He seemed a bit frazzled at the sudden change. However, after a second he turned and faced you once again. You typed in the security code but waited to open the doors just yet. "You're here pretty early, huh. How did you know I would be here?"

 

"I only assumed that you would be here given the fact that you worked the opening shift yesterday." He tilted his head a little as he spoke. It was kind of endearing. "I see I was not wrong in my assumption."

 

You smirked. "Well, you know what they say when you assume." On the inside, you commended yourself for recalling such a relic of a joke.

 

"No, what do they say?"

 

"Uh. well......" You debated whether or not to continue the line. Honestly it worked so much better when the other party already understood. Oh well. "I was really hoping you would know. Sorry."

 

"Ah."

 

After a brief period of awkward tension you finally entered the code and opened the doors. As you walked in to clock in for the day, Connor followed on your heels, much like a golden retriever. Your eyes went immediately to aisle 5, checking to see if the wardrobe was disturbed in any way. Luckily it looked just the same as it did yesterday. You rounded the counter and signed in to the closest register. A small sticky note caught your eye and you picked it up to investigate.

 

**Already in the back!**

**Marissa is your backup!**

**Make sure you clean the windows!**

 

**-Love, Auntie**

 

Ahh so Marissa was here today. That'd prove interesting. She wasn't great with customer service given that her pre-revolution occupation was warden at a women's penitentiary. You silently hoped not too many people would see the whole "murder" thing in the news and come looking for juicy gossip. Then again, they probably would.

 

"I'm surprised the store is open despite the fact that a murder occurred just yesterday." Connor's sudden statement made you jump a bit. You had forgotten he was right behind you.

 

"Yeah, me too. I guess capitalism is more important." With a tiny smile and a wink you stepped out from behind the counter to grab the window cleaner and paper towels, leaving Connor behind.

 

"Indeed." He shook his head a bit and caught up with you in no time. "When exactly will you be telling me about the whereabouts of--"

 

Turning on your heels at lightning speed, you put a finger to Connor's lips, effectively shushing him. "Not now, not in the store. I can't let my aunt find out or she'll go nuts." When you finished your sentence you lowered your hand. The android's eyes were wide. His eyebrows were raised in surprise and his posture was stiff. He was startled to say the least, but you couldn't imagine why. From the looks of his partner he must have been shushed in anger plenty of times.

 

The detective straightened his tie and looked down to you. "Very well. But I am not leaving until you tell me _everything_ just like you promised."

 

"Yeah, sure, fine, but you're gonna have to wait until my lunch break."

 

"What time is your lunch break?"

 

"Noon."

 

He looked a bit frustrated at this but eventually his expression softened. "Alright. But like I said, I'm not leaving." You scoffed and rolled your eyes, only to look back at him standing and staring at you in the exact same position. This guy really wasn't leaving. Instead of chatting any longer you turned back around and headed to the back where you snatched the cleaner and towels from their shelf. When you came back out, Connor was nowhere to be seen. You figured he was perusing the store.

 

Time went by just as slow as it did any day. You cleaned the windows, rang people out, priced some discounted items, the whole shebang. Every once in a while you would catch Connor out of the corner of your eye waltzing out of one aisle and into the next. You couldn't imagine there was anything in the store he would want to buy. You really didn't know why _anyone_ bought _anything_ from this store. Too overpriced. Sometimes, when there were hardly any customers in the store, the android would bring a certain item to you and point out a fault in it. A crack in a mug or a tear in a pillow. They were little things he was able to catch with his heightened vision. Each time you would assure him no one would notice and he would inform you that a lack in quality of products would result in a decline of customers. You didn't have the heart to tell him how much you really didn't care.

 

Much to your surprise, no one really came in asking about the murder. Maybe it wasn't made public yet? Or maybe no one really cared. Could be either.

 

At about 11:40 Connor made sure to stay close to the front end. He waited patiently for noon, you had to give him that. Though he had started to do this little trick with a nickel or something that was really distracting. There would be a tiny clink noise while you greeted customers and you wanted so bad to look back and see what he was doing. Every time you _did_ look back, he was just standing there, inspecting his coin. Like a jerk. After 20 minutes of this it was finally time for your lunch break. Marissa took your place up front, much to her dismay. You knew if it were up to her she would just do inventory all day, every day. Didn't sound like a bad gig.

 

"So, where shall we go?" Connor pocketed his coin and shuffled to walk next to you as you left the store. You noticed he was wearing the same thing he wore yesterday, poor boy. No style AND no wardrobe? Tragic.

 

"I convinced my aunt to give me an hour long break so anywhere is fine." Suddenly you remembered androids don't exactly care about picking restaurants given that they don't, yknow. Eat. "I know a place."

 

Connor slowed a bit once you two left the sidewalk, a slight look of concern on his face. "How will we get there? Would you like me to call a taxi?"

 

"What, no." You looked back at him over your shoulder as you walked. "I have a car, Connor."

 

"Oh, of course." He jogged to catch up to you, not looking even the slightest bit embarrassed at his assumption that you were a penniless hitchhiker. You did find it sweet, though, that he offered to call a taxi. It was a nice sentiment.

 

You clicked the remote on your keys to unlock the car just before Connor pulled on the door's handle. Once you were both buckled in, you pulled out of the lot and headed down the street.

 

"You have a very nice car." Was he really making smalltalk? What happened to his eagerness about Martin?

 

"Thanks, it was a gift." You reached over the wheel and rubbed your hand on the dashboard lovingly. "She's my pretty silver bullet."

 

The detective seemed quite interested at your display of affection. "She?"

 

"Yep, she."

 

"I didn't know that vehicles could be assigned pronouns."

 

You chuckled a bit. "Well now you know."

 

A comfortable silence set in. In just a few minutes you had pulled into the lot of your favorite locally owned diner. After you had locked your car (twice) and gotten a booth for two, Connor finally seemed to get down to business.

 

"What is your connection to the suspect?" He clasped his hands together and leaned onto the table, toward you.

 

"He's my friend. We're coworkers, too, but work aside he's my friend." You browsed the menu while speaking. Of course you already knew what you wanted, you get the same thing every single time. But he didn't know that.

 

"Have you known him to act irrationally, perhaps violently?" This made your head snap up.

 

"No. Martin isn't that kind of person. He wouldn't just attack someone." Your eyes glared into his, daring him to take it any further.

 

"Person?" His eyebrow raised a bit.

 

You blinked a few times and your eyes looked to one side, away from his face. "Person. Android. Whatever." Moving a stray lock of hair out of your face you shifted your attention back to the menu. "Martin wouldn't do that." Even without looking at him you could tell Connor took the hint to back off. He changed his position, now leaning back and holding the menu in front of his face, mirroring you. At this, you couldn't help but smirk. "What, are you gonna order something?" A tiny laugh made your shoulders bounce slightly.

 

"No, I'm only looking." His eyes scanned each item and sure enough, he really was just looking. Was this a part of his interrogation tactic? After a minute or so, a waiter came, brought you a glass of water, and took your order. He also took your menus, leaving nothing to distract you from the android sitting across from you. In one smooth motion, said android had placed his hands on the table and leaned far enough over that you could hear him whisper.

 

"Are you sure this location is secure enough?" You looked into his eyes, only inches from your own. From the look in them, he was being serious. You turnedyour head in place and panned over the entire restaurant. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, you looked back to Connor's closer-than-comfortable face.

 

"I think we're good." You had hoped that your words would make him sit back on his side of the booth immediately. However, he seemed to linger a bit, almost hesitant to return. "Have you never been to a restaurant before?"

 

He sat back in his seat and raised his voice to its normal volume. "Only ones full of criminals and drunkards. My partner seems to prefer them that way." Ahh yes, Hank. Now you understood his concern.

 

"No need to worry. We're safe here." Connor proceeded to ask you intimate questions about Martin. What he was like, how he behaved, things like that. Just as he was moving to the question of his current whereabouts, your lunch arrived. Two pancakes and a side of hashbrowns. Nothing too fancy, but it sure did look good after the morning you'd had.

 

"Now, where did Martin--" You put up your hand to stop him mid-sentence. You were surprised he didn't look more frustrated, you had been doing that a lot lately.

 

"Can the investigation please wait until I've finished my lunch? I have to go back to work after this, yknow." The android pursed his lips to the side a bit as he debated. You looked at him with a pleading look and it seemed to do the trick.

 

"Fine." He let you eat your meal in peace, even starting up his coin trick again and providing you some free entertainment. It was crazy to watch him fling that thing from palm to palm effortlessly. He would juggle it over his knuckles and flip it into the air like it was nothing. Super impressive stuff. You must have been watching too intently as he seemed to notice your intrigue.

 

"Would you like to know how I do it?" Your eyes snapped up to meet his, a bite of pancake in your mouth. You shook your head 'no' quickly. "Are you sure, it's rather easy."

 

You swallowed and shook your head once more. "No, it's alright. I'm not so good with those kinds of things, it'd take forever." He dropped the subject but looked just a tiny ounce dejected. After you polished off the final bite of hashbrowns you pushed your plate to the side. Clasping your hands together, you leaned your arms on the table, mimicking Connor's position when you first arrived.

 

"Now, about Martin."

 

Connor immediately halted his flipping and locked eyes with you. He put away his coin and leaned in a little more to hear you better. "Yes?"

 

"I know exactly where he is." The detective began to ask something but you continued before he could. "HOWEVER, you have to promise me you won't pull a gun on him. He's not armed and he's not dangerous. Just let me talk to him first and then you can have him." The words hurt leaving your mouth. It felt like you were betraying him. "He's in a wardrobe in the fifth aisle. I had to take off his arms and legs to fit him in there, so there's no chance of him attacking anyone."

 

"I see." He ran the information through his head for a moment. "So that story you told me about how he forced you to follow him.....was a lie, correct?"

 

Your eyes darted away from him to stare out the window next to the booth. ".....yeah."

 

His judgmental stare was unrelenting. "Interesting." He clapped his hands together and began to rub his palms together. "We had better get back to the store quickly, then. It would be unfortunate if someone were to find him before we get to him." He pulled the payment display tablet off of the wall and held it out to you, signaling you to pay. Your eyes went from the tablet to him.

 

"Oh wait, I thought......." You looked to him with wide eyes, a surprised look on your face. "...I thought _you_ were supposed to pay."

 

He also adopted a surprised look when you said this. You could swear you saw a faint purplish blush appear. "Uh well, while it _is_ customary for the male to pay when on a date, I think it would be best if--"

 

Once again, you stopped him before he could finish. "Whoooooooa whoa whoa, no." Your expression went from surprised to downright shocked. Both of your hands came up in a kind of 'stop' position. "I meant, like, that the detective pays for the person they're questioning."

 

Connor's blush seemed to deepen. "Oh, of course, yes. I......I don't think I've ever heard of that before." He adjusted his tie, making sure not to look at you directly.

 

"It's in movies and shows and stuff. I just thought--"

 

"No, it's fine." He put up a hand to tell you to stop talking. "I'll pay."

 

You nodded your head slowly and watched as his LED lit up when he paid. He looked so flustered. As he processed the bill, his eyes would flicker over to you, almost as if he were nervous you would change your mind about him.

 

"Thank you, Connor."

 

He finally looked back at you and gave you a small, incredibly cute smile. "Don't mention it."

 

After a silent car ride back to the store, you followed behind Connor as you both went in. He waited for you to clock back in before letting you lead him to aisle 5. Once there, however, you were quite shocked to find the wardrobe completely missing. Well, shocked wasn't the right word. It was more like horrified.

 

"Where is the wardrobe?" Connor put a hand on your shoulder.

 

"It was right here, I swear." You whipped around to look at him, throwing his hand off of you. "I'm not lying, you can't say you didn't see it yesterday."

 

He narrowed his eyes. "I did see it, but that doesn't mean you couldn't have moved it after everyone had left."

 

"Are you accusing me of moving it? By myself??" You certainly weren't the weakest person in Detroit but you were no bodybuilder. "I wouldn't do that! Besides, if I had wanted to move Martin I would've just reassembled him and let him out."

 

You moved away from Connor, heading straight to the back room. Connor followed suit. "Then where exactly is the suspect?"

 

"He's still in the wardrobe. Nobody could've found him. The only way the wardrobe would be gone is if someone bought it." With those words, you flung open the door to the back office where your aunt sat. "AUNTIE."

 

You had certainly startled her, as she made a brief yelping noise upon your entrance. "Oh my good gracious! No need to yell!"

 

"I'm sorry, but do you know what happened to the wardrobe? The one in aisle 5?" You moved your hand up to keep Connor out of the office. The last thing you need is your aunt getting sidetracked. "It's **really** important."

 

"Oh did you want to buy it? I'm sorry, hun, but my friend Phyllis just bought it for her garden party! Don't know why she needed a wardrobe, I think she said something about it matching the ambience or aesthetic or something like that. I really think she should have......" As your aunt diverged into her own thoughts you looked out of the office to Connor whose eyes screamed 'find that fucking wardrobe NO'".

 

"Alright, alright, auntie, I don't care. Where did she take it?"

 

"Well to her house of course!"

 

You didn't know what to do. Martin must be so terrified. What would happen to him if they found him? Would they turn him over to the police or just throw him into the trash? God, why did they have to buy it right when you left......

 

"You said she's having a party, right? When is it."

 

Your aunt gave you a sly little smirk. "You want to go to her party, huh? Well lucky for you, she gave me a few invitations!" She handed you a slip of card stock detailing the party. Tomorrow night. That's how you would have to get Martin back.

 

You thanked your aunt and closed the door to the office. Handing the invite to Connor, you gave him a worried look. "He's at this address. We can go to the party and get him out."

 

Connor pondered for a second before giving you a stare of confusion. "I'm a detective. I can just go to the house and retrieve the suspect myself."

 

"That sounds like a horrible idea."

 

"It is the most logical and quickest solution to the problem." He handed the invite back to you and turned to leave. Quickly, you grabbed onto the sleeve of his jacket and flipped him back around to face you. Grasping both of his arms in your hands, you looked right into his eyes.

 

"If you do that, he's gonna freak out. I have to go with you." You waited for him to say something in response but he stayed silent. "If you go in now, it'll cause a huge commotion. And they'll know I helped him. I'll lose my job." At this, Connor tilted his head downward and furrowed his brows.

 

"Why would you lose your job? They wouldn't know you were directly involved."

 

"Someone had to disassemble him. He can take off his own legs, sure, but for him to take off his arms, he would need help. Plus, now my aunt knows I'm worried about the wardrobe. If this was her friend who bought the thing, she'll definitely tell her there was a killer android that came with it. It'll cause a LOT of problems." As you said this, even more problems popped into your head. "No, it'd be better to do it quietly."

 

Half worried the detective would wave you off and stick to his initial plan, you silently pleaded with him to side with you. Fortunately, his hands came up to grasp your arms as well, both of you now holding the other.

 

"If that is what it will take to assure you of Martin's safety and your job security, then I agree."

 

Your mouth turned up in a smile and your body dropped its tenseness. You bounced up and down a little on the balls of your feet in relief. "Thank you, Connor, thank you, thank you!" You couldn't help yourself from hugging him, your arms wrapping around his neck as you pulled him down to rest your head on his shoulder. "Thank you so, so much!" His hands left your arms cautiously, as if he were unsure of what to do. It took him a second to process, but once he did, he gently placed his hands on your shoulder blades, squeezing you just a tad closer to him. When you broke the hug you looked up into his eyes with a wide grin and he returned the expression.

 

"Did your aunt say it was a garden party?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a long chapter compared to the other ones, but i wanted to put in some good Connor-reader interactions! more to come!


	6. Extraction

 

The plan was simple: Go to the party, avoid suspicion, find Martin, get out. From what your aunt had told you about Phyllis, it was going to be more of an 'old people drinking wine and complimenting each other's social status' kind of thing. There was no real threat there, as far as you could tell, of someone accidentally finding Martin before you and Connor had reached him. The problem was going to be where the wardrobe was and how easy it would be to get Martin out. But those problems were situational and so you opted to avoid worrying about them until the party.

 

Much to your relief, your aunt had been given two invitations. You thought you would have to persuade her into giving you both of them but luckily she was working the overnight shift during the party. That, and she HIGHLY encouraged you to bring a date. You assured her you would try to find one in time...

 

Before Connor left, he gave you the number to his, uh, cell phone? It wasn't really a phone, more like a direct connection to his hard-drive. An email to his brain, you could say. That night you decided on plans for concealing Martin, where and when to meet, details he had learned about Phyllis's house from satellite imaging, and he even questioned you about whether or not you should coordinate outfits. You decided it would be better to just drive separate and meet up at the location. Knowing his infatuation with taxis, you figured he'd take one there and the three of you could all share your car for the getaway. That did, however, mean you would have no choice but to drive Martin, your best friend, to the police station to be detained. It sucked, but there was no way you were gonna rely on a taxi for something like this. Connor handled most of the planning. He seemed to really enjoy it from the excruciating amount of details he relayed to you. You decided it was better to let him worry about all of that stuff given that he did it for a living. In terms of coordinating, you let him know the color of your outfit and figured he'd use it however he liked.

 

The night of the party came quickly. Luckily, you had the day off beforehand so you weren't exhausted by the time it arrived. It started at 7 and went to 11. That was plenty of time to find Martin. All you could do was trust in Connor's planning abilities and hope that Martin hadn't died of fright.

 

Phyllis's house itself was nice, but what really astonished you was the size of her backyard. You had followed a sign to park to one side of her front yard and had been completely deceived from first glance. Upon walking to look at the party while waiting for Connor to arrive, your expression dropped to one of amazement. It had to be miles long. The rolling hills and beautiful green trees created an almost picturesque view. Now you understood why it had taken an hour to get here, there was no way this kind of untapped beauty would be right in the middle of Detroit. The deck attached to the house was quite pretty, too, with fairy lights lining the space and potted plants scattered around but nothing beats the majesty of nature when you live in the most technologically advanced city in the country.

 

After a few minutes of ogling, the sound of a car door shutting caught your attention. You turned in time to see the taxi pulling out of the driveway and Connor making his way toward you. As he came closer, you chastised yourself for not sending him any links or pictures on 'What to wear to a Garden Party'. Yes, you had let him choose his own attire but that decision was not thought out at all. He was wearing the same thing he had been wearing every single time you had met him. Well, not exactly the same. This time, his tie was purple.

 

"I said lavender."

 

He slowed a little but didn't stop coming closer until he was right in front of you. "I'm sorry?" His tone was that of confusion.

 

"I said I was wearing lavender." You gestured to your light purple button up. Not the fanciest choice you had but it paired nicely with the shorts you had just bought so you figured you'd take a shot. "That is not lavender."

 

He looked a bit offended when you jabbed your finger on his tie. "I apologize, I didn't have any ties besides the one I wear for work. I asked Hank if I could borrow one of his and this is what he gave to me. I am aware it isn't lavender but it is the best I could do."

 

You pursed your lips, debating his excuse, before sighing and accepting. "Alright, fine. Let's just find that wardrobe."

 

"Agreed."

 

The two of you made your way to the backyard, scanning the path along the way. You thought about asking Connor about his master plan but figured he'd tell you anything important when the time came.

 

Just as you were about to round the corner of the house and enter the party, Connor weaseled his arm behind yours and locked them together at the elbow. This caused you to trip a little and look over at him in surprise.

 

"What are you doing??"

 

"We need to act inconspicuous. If I am meant to be your date, we need to look the part." Ahhh, so that was why he wanted to coordinate.

 

"O-Okay. Good..." You matched your steps with his, becoming just a bit worried about how well you were going to be able to play this whole 'dating an android' image to a bunch of elderly conservatives. You inwardly prayed that no one was anti-android.

 

Once you had successfully infiltrated the party, your eyes darted from place to place, searching for the wardrobe. You didn't have to look long. Just as you had stepped onto the deck, Connor's arm tightened around yours and he pointed right to it. There it was, right by the wall! It was so close to the escape route you thought it was a miracle. Upon further inspection, though, your thoughts changed to other issues. It was being used as a coatrack. Someone had installed a tension rod toward the top of it and hung coat hangers in it. And boy was that thing full. Why old people brought jackets to outdoor summer parties mystified you, but nevertheless, the coats were there.

 

Your brain boggled trying to think of a way to get in there and get Martin out. Just as you started to dwell on it, Connor derailed your attention with a simple question.

 

"Would you like something to drink?"

 

You felt bad for staring at him with such a distasteful look, but for heaven's sake, is that really what he was concerned with?? "......Are you kidding me?" You broke off of his arm with just a tiny bit of force. Speaking in a hushed tone so no one could hear, you narrowed your eyes at the detective. "No, I don't want a drink, let's just get Martin and get the hell out of here!"

 

Connor put his hands on your shoulders and bent down slightly to look at you at eye level. "We can't do that yet, it'd be too obvious. What we need to do is wait until nightfall when the wardrobe is less full and it's dark enough to give us cover." You thought over his statements with a bit of a scowl. You _really_ just wanted to make sure Martin was okay, but he was right. "I scanned the wardrobe and he's still inside. He'll be safe until we can get to him. Until then, let's just lie low."

 

"Okay, okay. Just play it cool."

 

"Yes......cool." With that, he released you and you once again linked arms. The two of you wandered around the deck a while, admiring the scenery (and keeping a close eye on that wardrobe). It didn't take long for someone to approach.

 

"Hello there, I don't think we've met, have we?" She spoke in a sweet, gentle voice. A woman of about 70, dressed in an extravagant dress just laden with printed flowers. From what you could tell she was already a little bit tipsy, given that her wine glass was almost empty. You told her your name and greeted her fondly. She gave a bright smile and nodded her head. "Oh yes, I know your auntie! She's not here, is she?" The woman lifted her head, checking to see if your aunt was just crouched behind you, waiting to appear.

 

"No, she had some things to do at work so she gave me her invitations." You pulled the invites out of your back pocket and attempted to unwrinkle them before showing her.

 

The woman nodded once again and then stuck out her hand to you. "Well, I'm Ms. Phyllis. It's nice to meet you." You shook her hand gently, afraid you would break her tiny fingers. Her gaze moved over to the android beside you. "And who might this be?"

 

"I'm Connor, it's nice to meet you." He went to shake her hand as well, but this time she hesitated slightly before obliging. "What a wonderful house you have."

 

Phyllis's unwavering smile grew warmer. "Why thank you!" She broke off the handshake and then gestured between you and Connor. "Now, are you two friends or something?" She lifted an eyebrow in intrigue.

 

You were quick to correct her. "No, actually, he's my date for the evening." Connor's head turned toward you and he gave a tiny smile.

 

"Oh, I see." Phyllis swirled the wine in her glass, looking as if she wanted more. "You kids and your new age thinking!" She giggled at her own words, making you feel just a little more out of place than you already did. "Well, enjoy the party you two. And don't be afraid to let me know if you need anything!" The thought crossed your mind to ask for your fugitive friend to be set free, but you let it pass.

 

Once Phyllis had stumbled out of earshot, Connor unwound his arm from yours. "That went well."

 

"Yeah, it did." You glanced around to make sure you hadn't caught anyone else's attention. "Thanks again for doing this."

 

He nodded once and looked to the side. "Of course."

 

"And I'll take that drink now." The detective's eyes met yours and you gave him a sly little grin. "Please?"

 

He narrowed his eyes at you before adjusting his tie and turning on his heel to find the drink table. Pleased with this, you shifted your gaze toward the view, taking in the fresh air by the lungful. It was so serene out here, you wished you had this kind of scenery at work. As you leaned over the wooden railing of the deck, an elderly couple shuffled up next to you, chatting casually. They seemed to be around the same age as Phyllis, and pretty much everyone else at this party. You and Connor were the youngest people there by far. Just as you were silently hoping the couple wouldn't talk to you, the man tapped you on the shoulder inquisitively. You turned your head to look at him.

 

"Is that your android over there?" At his question, you rose from your position and flipped yourself around to see Connor, standing in line and flicking that coin between his hands. Even from a distance it looked impressive. You returned your attention to the man.

 

"Um yes, it is." You moved your head from the man to Connor a little startled by his phrasing. "Is there something wrong?"

 

The man shook his head gently. "No, no. I'm just surprised you're allowing it to act so casually." He looked to his partner as she nodded in agreement.

 

"Yes, quite strange."

 

You tilted your head downward, your mouth slightly open in befuddlement. "I'm sorry, what?" Your eyes narrowed at the two, eyebrows furrowing as you crossed your arms. "What do you mean?"

 

"I've just never seen one with such mannerisms before." The man looked over your shoulder to Connor. "It's a little unsettling, don't you think?"

 

"What, that he's playing with a coin?"

 

"No, that he's trying so hard to be human." The man looked you in the eyes now. "I would put an end to it at once if I were you."

 

"And why would I do that?" There was a hint of aggression in your tone. This was turning into an argument and you could feel it.

 

"Well, it's just not serving you to the best of its abilities." You felt a heated rage boiling up from inside you. Did this guy really think Connor was your servant? Didn't he know an entire freaking revolution happened?? The thought that some of the people here would question yours and Connor's appearance together had crossed your mind, but you didn't expect someone to think he was a servant.

 

"He's not a servant, he's my date." You shifted your weight onto one hip and glared at the couple before you.

 

The two began to flounder, eyes widening in disbelief at the sudden revelation. They looked between each other rapidly, trying to decide what to say. "Oh my....." The woman put a hand over her heart. "We just assumed that--"

 

You cut her off without any mercy. "Well, you know what they say when you assume."

 

Suddenly the eyes of the elderly bigots went over your shoulder and upwards. You followed their line of sight to Connor, who was now standing behind you and to the side. He held in his hand your promised drink. When his eyes met yours you took the drink from his hand quickly. Holding it one hand, you wrapped the other around his waist, pulling him close and smirking at the couple. Although you could tell he was a little shaken by your gesture by the way he tensed up, he returned it almost immediately, lifting his arm behind you and holding your shoulder. At this sight, the couple looked to one another in shock. Suddenly, the man hooked his arm around the woman and pulled her away and out of the situation they had just created. As you watched them retreat, a delighted grin overtook your expression.

 

"Where are they going?" Connor turned his head toward you, a confused look on his face. "I would've like to have known if they knew what they say when you assume...."

 

You smiled so bright you could feel your eyes crinkling up. Gosh he was cute. It would break your heart to have to tell him what those people had said about him, so you opted to keep him in the dark. "They must've just gotten frightened when they saw a little PDA, yknow? Old people aren't too keen on that kinda thing."

 

"Are they not? Interesting." He nodded his head a little, obviously logging that information into his database.

 

For the rest of the evening, you and Connor played it safe. Sitting and chatting for a while, taking a stroll through the grass, and so on. At one point Connor informed you of the history of bees, explaining how they were once great in numbers but were one day wiped out by human negligence, prompting the creation of the now ever-present android pollinators you see today. It was very informative to say the least, and you wished you had gotten to see one up close before they disappeared. But then again, that's why they have museums.

 

Once the sun had set, prime 'Martin-saving time' had begun. About two-thirds of the guests had left by this point, either too tired to go on or too bored to keep pretending not to be. Connor pulled you over to an empty table away from everyone else and leaned in close.

 

"I think the time has come to enact our plan." He checked around his shoulders, making sure no one could hear. "Do you think you could fit inside the wardrobe?"

 

You looked over his shoulder to the wardrobe. Thinking back to when you hid Martin, you remembered just how spacious it had been. "Yeah, I can."

 

"Good." Suddenly, an elderly man crossed in front of the table with a Manhattan in his hands. He glanced over to you and Connor, a perplexed look in his eyes. In an effort to look less suspicious, the android grabbed both of your hands, holding them gingerly. You looked up into his eyes, blushing just a bit at the sudden contact. This seemed to appease the man's curious nature as he shuffled away, sipping his cocktail. Connor continued with his plan, but neglected to let go of your hands. "We'll need to be quiet so we don't attract any attention."

 

"Got it."

 

"Here's what we'll do: We both make our way to the wardrobe. We open the doors and when no one is looking, you step inside and I close the door. I'll wait outside to make sure no one opens it." You nodded at everything he was saying, walking it through in your head. "Once you're inside, open the panel and assemble Martin. When he's upright, take one of the coats on the rack and make Martin wear it to conceal himself. When you're both ready, knock on the door lightly and I'll open it when our exit route is clear. Then, we all walk out of here as quickly and nonchalantly as possible."

 

"Alright, cool." You stared down at your hands, still in the detective's grasp. His hands were surprisingly warm and soft. You could feel his inner skeleton but it was still quite pleasant. "That sounds like it'll work."

 

"It has an 87% chance of success."

 

"And the other 13%?"

 

"Failure."

 

"Gotcha." You shifted in your seat, getting a little anxious to finally see Martin again. Connor must've detected you were nervous by the increase in your heart rate as he squeezed your hands in reassurance. Unfortunately, this did nothing to settle your heart rate. "So when do we start?"

 

"Right now." Without hesitation, the detective rose from his seat, letting go of one of your hands but holding the other still as he lead you to the wardrobe. Once there, he released your hand and grabbed both of the doors and pulled them in. Looking around, he waited for the perfect moment. When the coast was clear he gave you a nod and you ducked under his arms and hopped up into the wardrobe. Just before closing you into darkness, Connor gave you one last smile of reassurance and a quick wink. Your heart fluttered, but your thoughts were quickly pushed from infatuation to urgency. You shoved all of the coats that remained to one side, giving you enough room to stand upright. Though you couldn't see a thing, your hands quickly found the edge of the paneling and you moved the boards aside as fast as you could. It was really astonishing that Phyllis had never noticed how much of her overpriced wardrobe was inaccessible. Once the boards were gone, your eyes caught on a faint blue light, fading in and out. Martin was in an idle mode. You had to wake him.

 

You put your hand over his LED and grazed your fingers over his face until you found his cheek. Lightly, you hit your hand against his face, trying to wake him. When this proved to be fruitless, you opted for a different approach. Raising your hand next to your head, you smacked Martin with a mild amount of force. Suddenly, his eyes opened, providing a faint light as well. His LED turned yellow in confusion. You shushed him, putting a finger to his lips. He looked at you with the eyes of a lost puppy. Time to put him back together again. You bent down to pick up one of his arms and attempted to attach it to his right shoulder but found it was the left arm. Once he had an appendage back, Martin caught on fast and grabbed his other arm to help you. With him helping, he was reassembled quickly and you gestured for him to get up. He rose to his feet awkwardly. The wardrobe was spacious, but not so much that two people could comfortably move around. You crouched down to give him more room, and he leaned his back against the wall, lifting himself up using it. Once he was successfully on his feet (but still bent over a bit due to his height), you fished through the coats and found one around his size. He put it on as quickly as he could. You whispered to him, asking if he was ready. He nodded. You gave the door a light knock.

 

A beam of light hit you in the face as one of the doors opened slightly. Connor gave you just enough room to slip out. Grabbing Martin's hand, you led him out of the wardrobe and fast-walked toward the edge of the deck. Just as you stepped down on the path leading to the driveway, Connor grasped Martin's shoulders, trying to block him from anybody's sight. Martin tensed at the pressure and looked at you in fear but you only shook your head.

 

"He's not gonna hurt you, I promise. He just wants to help." You spoke to him in a soothing, low tone in order to calm him. "We're trying to get you somewhere safe."

 

Martin looked around frantically as you rounded the house and cut through the front yard to your car. "Where am I? And who's behind me?" You could hear the panic in his voice. It was making you feel guilty for getting him into this situation.

 

"I'll tell you what happened later. The guy behind you is an android, too, there's no cause for panic." You looked over to Connor who was checking behind the three of you to see if anyone was following. You reached into your pocket and pulled out your keys, unlocking your car. First, you helped Martin into the backseat, letting him buckle himself in and adjust to this new and exciting situation. Connor sat shotgun and you climbed in too, starting the car and driving onto the road.

 

You did it!

 

Just as you were about to express your joy, Martin spoke up. "What is going on.....?" He sounded genuinely afraid, and you didn't know what exactly to say.

 

"Martin.....You're not in the best situation." You looked in the rear view mirror only to be met with his eyebrows knit together and his mouth parted in confusion. You looked to Connor for some kind of advice, but he only looked to you with sympathy, as if he was telling you to just say it.

 

And so you did. You told him everything. The cops, the wardrobe, the garden party, all of it. When you mentioned that Connor was a detective, he seemed to become uncomfortable. Although you assured him he meant no harm, he couldn't seem to calm down completely. It was heartbreaking to see Martin this way. He had been so kind and good to you for so long. It wasn't fair that he had to suffer consequences for something he had done out of self-defense. And to protect you. Because of you, Martin was going straight to jail, and if not jail, he would be destroyed. The justice system was trying to account for the bias against androids that was so drilled into people's minds but it was still slightly weighted. There was a good chance Martin would fall victim to this imbalance.

 

Speeding through the night, your mind tossed and turned in the silence. No one was speaking, too afraid of saying something that would bring everyone's hopes down even more. As you made your way toward Detroit, toward the police station, you jumped from thought to thought, still jumbled at the fact that Martin's life was more or less over. You wished so much that you could go back in time and stop all of this before it even happened. You wondered what you would be doing right now if that damn woman had never come into the store. God, how you wished you could switch with Martin. At least you would be given a fair trail.

 

This was all your fault. You had to make it right. Martin deserved more.

 

You veered off of the next exit on the highway, turning your blinker on when you got to the stoplight at the intersection at the end of the ramp. Just as it switched to green and you turned, Connor's head swiveled your way.

 

"What are you doing?" His eyes stared daggers into you. You dared not look at him out of nervousness. "What's going on?" You got back on the highway, now going south instead of north. "Did you forget something important at the party?"

 

You looked to him out of the corner of your eye, hoping he wouldn't get too belligerent. "No......."

 

"Then why have we turned around?" At this point, Martin was also looking to you for an answer.

 

"We're taking a detour."

 

"There are no recorded accounts of delays on the fastest route to Detroit. This direction takes us directly away from the city. What detour are you referring to?"

 

You bit your lip. "We're not going to Detroit." You glanced back at Martin. He looked back into your eyes almost glowing with respect for your newfound courage.

 

Connor, however, was glowing more with frustration than respect. "Yes, we are. Turn this car around."

 

"No." You finally looked at him fully, a glint of determination in your eye.

 

He lifted his hand and put it on the steering wheel. "Turn this car around right now." He didn't sound completely hostile yet. Just extraordinarily stubborn.

 

"Make me."

 

Just as his grip tightened around the wheel, Martin's body rushed forward. He grabbed Connor's arm and held it tight. The two stared each other down before Connor finally relented. As he sat down in his seat, he kept his eyes on you, his expression one of disappointment.

 

"This is illegal."

 

"I figured. I don't care."

 

He was silent for a moment. "I'm going to report this to the police."

 

You whipped your head over to him, fear in your eyes. "Please don't." Your attention went back and forth from the road to Connor. "Please, please don't do that."

 

"And why shouldn't I." His voice was full of venom, as if you had betrayed him somehow. Technically, however, you never said you would turn Martin in.

 

You swallowed hard, trying to think of a reason he shouldn't. Your mind went blank. You looked back to Martin, who was now sitting in his seat completely still, watching the lights go by out the window.

 

"Because I'm asking you, as a friend." Connor turned to look straight ahead. You watched him carefully, trying to see whether or not his reflection in the glass showed his LED blinking as he called the police. After a moment, he spoke softly.

 

"And is this what friends do? Deceive each other and force one another to run from authority." He kept his eyes on the road ahead, not even caring to blink anymore.

 

"Sometimes, yeah." You chose your next words carefully. "When you care about someone more than the world itself, you do crazy things to keep them safe." This must've struck a chord with the detective as his eyes began to shift toward you. "You would sacrifice _everything_ for them, even if it meant you could never go back to the way things were before."

 

Connor was silent for a solid 5 minutes before he spoke again.

 

"Your car is running low. There is a station at the next exit that also has an ATM." You glanced over to him, not believing your own hearing. "I suggest you withdraw a substantial amount."

 

You were elated. And to think, you were just thinking of taking off the child safety lock and punting him out onto the shoulder of the highway. You grinned from ear to ear, once again delighted by his willingness to help you in whatever shenanigans you were getting yourself into. Martin smiled as well, happy that he wasn't going straight into custody.

 

Perhaps the detective had a soft spot for you, but no matter what, he always seemed to have your back. You decided not to worry too much about it and instead focused on the joy overcoming you.

 

"Aww Connor! You're the best!" You bounced slightly in your seat, making Martin chuckle under his breath. "Who says all detectives are cold-hearted?"

 

Connor whipped his head around to look at you in disturbance. "What, who said that?"

 

A genuine laugh escaped you as you tensed your shoulders in happiness. You reached your hand out to grab Connor by his purple tie and pulled him closer to you in order to give him a tiny kiss on the cheek. You didn't linger too long as to not swerve out of your lane, but from the small moment your lips connected to him, a small spark raced up your spine, bursting in your chest. You released him, replacing your hand on the wheel and regarding the road. He didn't seem to register what had happened immediately, as he remained leaned over for a second, blinking in disbelief. Quickly, he rose back in seat, sitting up straight and adjust his tie. Though you were focused on the road, determining where exactly to go, you could see a purple hue covering his cheeks as he blushed in surprise. Oddly enough, the color went well with his tie.

 

Martin piped up suddenly. "So, where exactly are we going?"

 

You looked to him and smiled. "I have no idea."

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> based the look of the garden party off of this charming little handbook:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Throwing-Garden-Party/dp/1981525351

**Author's Note:**

> hello! this is my first fic on this site, so i hope it's good! i can't tell if it is or not and there's no way i'm letting any of my friends read this. lemme know! thanks!


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